U.S. Rep. John Katko Statement on Passage of FY2016 Funding Bill

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative John Katko (NY-24) today released the following statement on the bipartisan passage of the FY 2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill, as well as a tax package, which passed the House this week with his support.

“With my support, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan agreement to fund the government through the 2016 Fiscal Year, as well as a package to make a number of critical tax credits permanent.  While this agreement is far from perfect, I believe that it puts us on a sustainable path forward towards a predictable government funding process – and takes us away from the course of governing from crisis to crisis.

“Like my constituents, I know that we must prioritize and invest in our national security.  As a member of the House Homeland Security Committee and Chairman of the Committee’s bipartisan Task Force on Combating Foreign Fighter Travel, I am pleased that this agreement contains key provisions from our Task Force’s findings to strengthen the Visa Waiver Program and to help prevent terrorist travel.   It also includes provisions that I authored which will help counter violent extremism in our local communities.  This measure provides more funding for defense and gives our troops the resources that they need -- while bolstering cybersecurity and providing additional resources to the FBI, DHS, and local law enforcement to prioritize counterterrorism efforts.

“Significantly for Central New York, this agreement contains a number of bipartisan provisions that I’ve supported this Congress, including the reauthorization of the 9/11 first-responder health care and victim compensation programs.  It suspends the Medical Device Tax for two years – a relief for the small business and manufacturing innovators in our community that produce life-saving devices used around the globe.  It allocates funding to support child nutrition programming in our schools and supports medical research for Alzheimer’s and other diseases for which we desperately seek cures.  And importantly, it increases support for our ongoing effort to combat opioid addiction.

“I was sent to Washington to represent Central New York, and to do so in a bipartisan manner.  I’ve spend the past twelve months doing that – working to fight through partisan gridlock to deliver results for our community.  While our work is far from complete, this bipartisan, bicameral legislation puts us on a path towards both a predictable budgeting process and comprehensive tax reform.